Not all that is bigger is better, but this doesn’t apply to the naval industry. In recent years, there’s been a definite surge in demand for shadow vessels, or yacht extenders, which are basically floating garages for the mothership.
The Protean 95 from CBSPRO Maritime is one such vessel. And then some.
Unveiled in late 2020, the Protean 95 is still in the concept stage for the time being, but considering how it promises to meet absolutely any need its future owner would have, it could very well become a reality in the not so distant future. This is a hybrid, multipurpose vessel that can serve as luxury yacht, a shadow vessel, or even as a standalone explorer.
On that note, the Protean 95 would also work as a dive operations vessel, a race support vessel, a laboratory or research ship, and a floating entertainment or conference venue vessel. As the saying goes, the sky’s the limit in terms of its use in a real-world scenario – that, and the owner’s budget.
Protean 95 is massive: it’s 95 meters (312 feet) long and disposes of 795 square meters (8,557 square feet) of tender deck. Think of it as a tender garage on a “regular” superyacht, but blown up to size and open. On it, the owner of the mothership can safely store several day cruising boats, PWCs, lasers, kayaks and submarines, in addition to two cranes for launching all these toys to water.
On a separate deck, there’s a multi-faceted heli-facility with helipad and under-deck storage area, which comes complete with a fueling station and room to house an ACH175. No true explorer is worthy of the name if a helicopter is not always on hand.
Speaking of explorers, the owner of the Protean 95 gets his own deck atop the six-level aluminum superstructure. The master suite has 273 square meters (2,938 square feet) of interior space and 131 square meters (1,410 square feet) of exterior surface area, not to mention the best all-around views on board.
Accommodation on board is for another 20 guests and 24 crew in spacious cabins with a customizable layout. This is where the owner of the Protean 95 would be able to choose a layout to fit his needs best, but whichever of the proposed configurations he would choose, he would be guaranteed maximum comfort and luxury.
Though not pictured in any of the renders made available or in the video at the bottom of the page, the Protean 95 comes with a sizable pool, various lounges and bars, a wellness center with gym and spa, and a cinema. When not used as a yacht extender, this vessel could very well act as a luxury yacht, and no one would be the wiser about the difference.
Powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system, it would also be fast. CBSPRO imagines it topping 19 knots at full throttle, with a more leisurely cruising speed of 12 knots. At cruising speed, it would have a range of 8,000 nautical miles.
“The beauty of this platform is that it is truly multipurpose and fully configurable to the client’s requirements,” Antoon Marten Wester of CBSPRO Maritime said at the concept’s unveiling. “The clue is in the name, with the definition of Protean being ‘adaptable, versatile, multi-faceted.’ We see a variety of uses possible from a yacht support vessel, to a crossover expedition/explorer vessel, a race support vessel, a dive operations vessel, an entertainment/conference venue, a laboratory and research vessel… the possibilities are manifold.”
What wouldn’t change would be the promise of a most luxurious, smooth, and fast journey to the farthest corners of the world.
Unveiled in late 2020, the Protean 95 is still in the concept stage for the time being, but considering how it promises to meet absolutely any need its future owner would have, it could very well become a reality in the not so distant future. This is a hybrid, multipurpose vessel that can serve as luxury yacht, a shadow vessel, or even as a standalone explorer.
On that note, the Protean 95 would also work as a dive operations vessel, a race support vessel, a laboratory or research ship, and a floating entertainment or conference venue vessel. As the saying goes, the sky’s the limit in terms of its use in a real-world scenario – that, and the owner’s budget.
On a separate deck, there’s a multi-faceted heli-facility with helipad and under-deck storage area, which comes complete with a fueling station and room to house an ACH175. No true explorer is worthy of the name if a helicopter is not always on hand.
Speaking of explorers, the owner of the Protean 95 gets his own deck atop the six-level aluminum superstructure. The master suite has 273 square meters (2,938 square feet) of interior space and 131 square meters (1,410 square feet) of exterior surface area, not to mention the best all-around views on board.
Though not pictured in any of the renders made available or in the video at the bottom of the page, the Protean 95 comes with a sizable pool, various lounges and bars, a wellness center with gym and spa, and a cinema. When not used as a yacht extender, this vessel could very well act as a luxury yacht, and no one would be the wiser about the difference.
Powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system, it would also be fast. CBSPRO imagines it topping 19 knots at full throttle, with a more leisurely cruising speed of 12 knots. At cruising speed, it would have a range of 8,000 nautical miles.
What wouldn’t change would be the promise of a most luxurious, smooth, and fast journey to the farthest corners of the world.